The Village Retirement Center

    4501 Powell Blvd, Gresham, OR, 97030
    4.6 · 41 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    AnonymousCurrent/former resident
    4.0

    Lovely community but winter safety

    I live here and overall it's a lovely, well-kept, park-like community with kind, compassionate staff, good meals, a beautiful chapel, quick maintenance, and apartment-style independence with help available. It's peaceful, affordable, and residents genuinely care for one another. My main concern is winter safety - roads and sidewalks can be icy/unplowed and there's little de-icing, which felt unsafe and overly restrictive at times.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    4.61 · 41 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.5
    • Staff

      4.8
    • Meals

      4.0
    • Amenities

      4.3
    • Value

      5.0

    Pros

    • friendly, compassionate staff
    • quick, responsive maintenance
    • clean and well-maintained grounds and buildings
    • single-story, apartment-style homes
    • variety of floor plans (one- and two-bedroom options)
    • walkable, park-like green spaces and yards
    • carports and small porches/own yard
    • secure, neighborhood feel
    • chapel on-site (used for weddings and services)
    • recreation room and nice common areas
    • inclusive exercise programs for limited mobility
    • activities posted and organized (painting project noted)
    • opportunities to volunteer and help fellow residents
    • residents engage in gardening and planting around homes
    • beautiful lunch/dining room
    • vegetarian and varied dining options mentioned
    • well-regarded cafeteria chef
    • affordable, comfortable housing
    • peaceful, quiet environment
    • supportive, family-like community and camaraderie
    • residents and staff described as welcoming and personable

    Cons

    • inconsistent or inadequate snow and ice removal
    • icy sidewalks creating unsafe fall risks
    • policy reported restricting residents from leaving units (safety concerns)
    • no salt/de-icer or sand used during some maintenance periods
    • limited amenities compared with larger communities
    • meals/cafeteria availability appears inconsistent or unclear
    • some residents are not very social; desire for more social opportunities
    • safety decisions or maintenance priorities perceived as prioritizing property over resident safety

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment in the reviews is strongly positive: The Village Retirement Center is repeatedly described as a well-kept, peaceful, and welcoming community with compassionate staff and a family-like culture. Reviewers emphasize the friendliness and helpfulness of employees, from front-line staff to maintenance and dining personnel, and cite specific examples of staff going above and beyond (quick maintenance responses, staff assisting with furniture pickup, clear and informed staff communication). Multiple accounts highlight the community’s affordability, comfortable apartment-style living, and the feeling that residents are well cared for and trusted when family members place loved ones there.

    Facilities and housing receive consistent praise. The campus is described as single-story with a variety of floor plans (one- and two-bedroom options), small porches or individual yards, and carports. Grounds are characterized as park-like and walkable, with green spaces and residents actively gardening and decorating doorways. Common areas—including a recreation room, nice common area seating, and a chapel used for gatherings and weddings—help foster a sense of community. Maintenance is noted as timely and effective for building-related issues, and the property is generally kept clean and attractive.

    Dining and activities offer notable strengths but also some ambiguity. Several reviewers singled out a beautiful lunch room and a well-regarded cafeteria chef, and mentioned a range of meal options including vegetarian choices. Activities are visible and organized (posted schedules, painting projects, exercise classes adapted for limited mobility), and volunteering and mutual assistance are encouraged among residents. At the same time, a few comments suggest the cafeteria’s meal availability or the exact scope of dining services may be inconsistent or unclear to some visitors, which could reflect differences in service levels or changes over time.

    Community dynamics are a strong positive: residents and staff are described as warm, welcoming, and genuinely caring. Many reviews note a family feel and a supportive social environment where neighbors help one another. However, there is a mixed view on social engagement—while many enjoy the community and companionship, some residents feel the community could benefit from more social opportunities because not every resident is highly social.

    The most significant negative themes center on winter safety and certain operational policies. Multiple reviewers called out problems with snow and ice management: roads not plowed, sidewalks with significant ice build-up (reported as thick and unsafe), and an absence of salt, de-icer, or sand in some instances. These conditions were viewed as particularly problematic given the presence of residents at higher fall risk. Relatedly, at least one review raised concern about a policy restricting residents from leaving their units and suggested some safety decisions prioritize property or procedural considerations over resident safety. These issues stand out as the primary operational weaknesses and potential hazards that contrast with the otherwise attentive care and maintenance praised elsewhere.

    In summary, The Village Retirement Center is portrayed as a small, well-maintained, and affordable retirement community with kind, competent staff and a strong sense of neighborly connection. It offers single-story, apartment-style living with pleasant grounds, an on-site chapel, communal spaces, and active residents who contribute to gardens and projects. Prospective residents and their families should be encouraged by the positive staff interactions, cleanliness, and community feel, but should also ask specific questions about winter weather protocols, sidewalk and road snow/ice clearing, the scope and consistency of dining services, and any policies that might affect residents' independence. Addressing the winter safety concerns and clarifying meal-service policies and social programming would likely resolve the main criticisms while preserving the many strengths reviewers consistently highlight.

    Location

    Map showing location of The Village Retirement Center

    About The Village Retirement Center

    The Village Retirement Center sits on West Powell Boulevard in Gresham, OR, right close to medical offices, grocery stores, and other local spots, which makes things easy for everyone living there, and it's been around for over 60 years, tending to seniors looking for either independent living or a bit more help with everyday life. Folks have several choices for homes, with one-bedroom and two-bedroom units spread out over a single story, making it easy to get around, especially handy for anyone who doesn't want to deal with stairs anymore, and there's a waitlist if rooms aren't open right away, so people can plan ahead. The place allows pets, which is nice for anyone who can't imagine giving up a furry friend, and the whole place sits on over 15 acres of peaceful, landscaped grounds with walking paths where residents can take their time, stroll, and get some fresh air among the trees. The Village Retirement Center is a Christian retirement community with links to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church; Alexandra Marcus acts as the Housing and Community Advancement Coordinator, and staff members are trained to help with different levels of care, from housekeeping and laundry to transportation and support with daily living activities, so people can pick the help that suits them.

    The community runs a busy schedule, with social, educational, and fun activities that help folks meet each other and build friendships, and there's a social room, a library where people can read quietly or pick out a new book, a meeting room for groups, plus a calendar and newsletter so everyone knows what's happening. Residents eat together in a dining area that aims for a more enjoyable culinary experience, not just standard cafeteria food, and there's a menu and even transportation right to appointments, grocery stores, or field trips, which is especially handy if someone's stopped driving. The Village offers structured activities, a campus map, and tours for those thinking about living there, as well as several kinds of floor plans for people who want to see what fits best. There's a resident and employee portal for easy communication, pet-friendly policies, laundry rooms onsite, and even help arranging care with infectious disease specialists, psychiatrists, and other medical professionals if needed, since they work with different doctors and healthcare services in the area. The building's design keeps everyone on one level, which adds to the comfortable and safe feeling of the community, and the overall atmosphere stays warm and humble, focused on hospitality and respect for each person's needs. The Village Retirement Center falls under the category of Senior Living & Services, with some privacy and cookie rules to keep everyone's information managed properly, and there are logins for certain services like Facebook Lite and Messenger, so residents or their families can share videos or messages, stay in touch through Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, or Threads, and even explore options with Meta features if they're interested. There's no extra hype here, just a strong commitment to making life comfortable, social, and safe for seniors during their golden years.

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